The Five Samurai
by Mehri Garmadon
Summary: PLEASE IGNORE THE TITLE (I know it's horrible) Nya's not the only samurai anymore! Now these four other girls, each with their own crazy story, get to become samurai and help fight villains with the ninja! But with a villain strongly related to Sensei Wu's past, who proves to be their greatest threat yet, can the ninja and samurai stop their Sensei from being harmed?
1. The Prisoner of Ninjago

In her defense, it was his fault.

She wouldn't have done it if it hadn't been for him.

He had been in her way.

She had no choice.

She would never have killed his child if he hadn't been trying to stop her.

"So, Mrs. 'Wu,'" the police officer was trying to interrogate her. "You killed your own son?"

"Yes." She didn't cooperate because she _had_ to. She did because she _wanted_ to.

"And you will testify to this in court?"

She almost laughed. As if she would be going to court. In fact, why she even let them arrest her was beyond her. "No," she chuckled, shaking her head slowly, as if the man simply didn't understand.

"No?" The policeman looked at her in slight shock. She had been so obedient until this point.

"You heard me. I will not be testifying in court. In fact, I will not even be _attending_ court." She stood up to leave the room.

"Mrs. Wu, this room is locked from the inside and you are shackled. Any and all efforts to escape would be futile." The policeman didn't seem exactly convinced of his own statement.

She chuckled evilly as her shackled began to melt away. "You underestimate the power I possess." The man scrambled to his feet, pointing his taser at her. She just laughed louder and grabbed the man by the shoulders. He cried out in pain as his energy was transferred into her body.

As soon as she let go, the police officer fell to the floor, his consciousness completely gone. She smirked at her hands. "Strapping young man. Strong build. But not nearly enough energy." She punched the door and it flew off it's hinges. She stepped over it like it was nothing, then strutted down the hall as if she own the place.

Nine Years Later . . .

Wu stared at the spirit smoke. Though he was old, he could see the image clear as day.

She had escaped yet again.

When he had married her, he had never thought it would lead this. He thought she had truly loved him, and maybe she had. But now, her heart was cold and dark.

He knew she would come for him. That was obvious. But when?

He looked out to the courtyard, where three young boys trained. They got along well enough, despite their differences. But he wondered about the last boy. Would they be able to fight the forces of evil if they felt dislike for each other?

If the couldn't get along, how would they possibly defeat his ex wife? She was too powerful. Surely though, not as powerful as his older brother. She would most likely hide out for the time being.

And why should he worry about the last boy? He wasn't here yet and when he did arrive, he was sure to be just like his father and mother.

Wu sighed. His mind was wandering again. He must have . . . Inner peace . . . Inner Peace . . . Inner Peac-

Wu shook his head with frustration. How could he have inner peace if Fiona had escaped again?

Three Years After That . . .

Fiona inhaled the fresh air. After years of being locked underground, she was finally free!

Those stupid snakes had unwittingly released her from her prison when they unleashed the stone warriors. Of course, she had laid low until Garmadon had been returned to good because, what was the fun in taking over the world if she had to share with her former brother in law?

But now she was ready to finally kill her ex husband and take over. She licked her lips. Revenge would be sweet!

* * *

**Thank you for reading another one of Mehri's crazy stories! Okay, so I am very proud of this one :D I told Jayce about it and she's already made a bunch of fanart! Seriously, she helped me come up with all the ideas, so technically we co-wrote it. GIVE A BIG HAND TO CupcakeOfAwesomeness! *CLAPS***

**Anywho, I really hope you guys read and like this one, because there are three stories I am putting my heart and soul into right now: this one, AVA: Amateur Sleuth, and Legend of the Shattered Weapons. All three of these stories are going to end up being very, very long. So please recommend me to your friends, I would love it if you guys would love it! **

**Remember, I have your happiness and suspense levels as my top priority, other than school and church :D Love, Mehri**

**(BTW, I have three chapters ready for you guys! So you lucky ducks get three chapters in one day!)(Yes, the title of this chapter is based on Prisoner of Azkaban)**


	2. The Proposal

Jay nervously tugged at his collar. Today was the day.

"Don't worry, Jay," he told himself, as he paced in front of the bathroom mirror. "Everything will be fine."

But as he paced faster, he felt his hands fly to the sides of his head in worry. "What if I forget what to say?"

His strides continuously got faster. "What if I trip and fall flat on my face?"

He gripped the countertop, staring at himself in the mirror. "What if she says no?" This question had haunted him ever since he had bought the ring.

The diamond in the center of the golden band sparkled, but had nothing on her eyes. The way they shone made him feel contented.

The gem might've been precious, but it was nothing compared to how precious she was to him.

If she held this ring up in the mirror, she would see two things of, uh, great value!

Okay, so he needed to work on that a bit. But he couldn't concentrate with all this pressure and worry!

He inhaled a long breath. "You can do this, Jay. Just ask her out to dinner tonight, then make your move." He gave himself an unconvincing smile and left the bathroom to go look for Nya.

* * *

Nya frowned at her phone. Two texts from Kai, a new high score on Jetpack Joyride, a great Facebook status and yet, she couldn't beat Zane at Words With Friends. She was just about to see if 'Kragle' was a word, when Jay popped his head into the room, looking nervous.

"H-hey Nya? Could we talk for a sec?" He noticed her phone and added quickly, "If you're busy, I could come back later-"

"No, Jay! Not at all! Come on in!" Nya motioned for him to sit down on the bed beside her. The mattress squeaked a little at his added body weight.

Jay fidgeted with his sleeves. "Um, I was wondering if I could take you out to dinner tonight? Maybe around six? Nothing fancy, just a casual sort of date . . . Only if you want! If you don't want to I totally understand-"

"I would love to, Jay." Nya beamed at her boyfriend, giving him a kiss on the cheek. He grinned back, just making Nya smile wider. She loved Jay's smile.

"Great! So, I'll meet you in the courtyard at six?" Jay asked. Nya nodded. "Awesome! Love you, Nya." He kissed her forehead, then glanced at her phone. "And you could do the word 'glare' if you wanted."

Nya nearly facepalmed right there. Why hadn't she thought of that? "Thanks, Jay!" She called after him as he left the room.

* * *

Nya checked her watch. Jay was never late! He was probably the most punctual of all the ninja! So where was he?

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Nya!" Jay came up, still looking nervous, and with his hand in his pocket. Why was he so nervous? They had been on tons of dates!

But Nya ignored these thoughts and slipped her hand into his. Her black bob of hair was pushed back with a hair clip on the left side of her head. Her amber eyes shone at the thought of spending a night with Jay.

Meanwhile, though he had combed his light brown hair neatly, Jay's lightning blue eyes were filled with fear. _What if she says no? _But he pushed this thought to the back of his mind and lightly squeezed Nya's hand.

Jay took Nya to a nice restaurant that was casual, but had good service and food. They talked for a bit while they waited for their food to arrive. Then Nya, who had finished her iced tea, went to the bathroom. When she came back, their food had arrived and her drink had been refilled.

Nya had just started thinking this date couldn't possibly get better when they shared a milkshake, but then Jay stood up shakily. "Nya? I-I have something to say."

He dropped to one knee and Nya stood up in surprise. This wasn't real, right? "Nya, from the moment I met you, I knew you were the only one for me," Jay began. "You were pretty, smart and nice. But then, I came to realize I was wrong."

Nya was confused at first. But Jay continued. "You aren't pretty; you're beautiful. You aren't just smart; you're intelligent and wise. You aren't just nice; you're caring and compassionate. You also proved you can take care of yourself in battle."

Tears of joy were forming in Nya's eyes at this point. "Nya, you are the only one for me," Jay whispered, pulling out a small, velvet box. Flipping it open, Nya saw a sparkling gold ring with a diamond in the center. "Nya, will you marry me?"


	3. Permission

***UPDATE: The cover art was drawn by the wonderful, CupcakeOfAwesomeness. That scene doesn't come into play until later, but I couldn't find any other art that would fit properly. **

Kai looked up from the TV screen at his sister and her boyfriend walking into the room. "HA! I beat you!" Kai's eyes flashed back to the screen as Lloyd yelled this. He began hitting all the buttons on the remote rapidly in protest.

"Hey wait a sec . . ." Everyone looked at Cole as he said this. "Nya, you didn't have that ring before, did you?"

Kai's eyes now flashed to Nya's hand. There was indeed a new feature; a diamond _engagement _ring. "Guess the cat's out of the bag," Nya giggled. She grinned at all the ninja and announced, "Jay proposed to me today! And I said _yes_!"

Everyone began to congratulate them, except Kai. Nya was _his_ sister! He couldn't just hand her over! He was supposed to protect her! But now that was Jay's job . . .

"Kai?" Jay asked, tentatively. He was nervous about getting the ninja of fire's permission, but knew it had to be done. "Kai, will you let me marry your sister?"

Kai looked questioningly up at Jay. "You'd asking my permission?"

"Well, normally, I'd ask her father, but since he's not around . . ." Jay trailed off. He knew that Kai's parents were a sensitive subject. "Listen Kai, I promise I'll never harm Nya in any way and I'll protect her with my life. Please? I consider you a brother . . ."

Kai sighed. He knew that they were perfect for each other. "Alright. You can get married." He suddenly smiled. "That . . . Actually felt really good to say." Nya hugged Kai tightly, proclaiming he was the best brother ever. Kai laughed at that statement. It seemed like everything was awesome.

How wrong they were.

* * *

Fiona Harrison smirked at the two. They were helpless. Hanging from chains on the ceiling, beaten and bruised. She circled them, laughing. She knew the boy was still conscious and was watching her angrily.

"Does it make you angry, Kyle?" She asked, finally standing directly in front of the boy's hanging body. "Seeing your sister in so much pain?" Fiona walked over and touched the girl's cheek.

"DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!" Kyle yelled, struggling with the little strength he had left. His brown eyes bore into the older woman's blue and she laughed.

"You're just a child. You can't do anything about it." She pulled a blade out of her sleeve. Smirking at Kyle, she sliced the knife across the girl's cheek. Blood trickled down her face as she hung unconscious.

Fiona walked back to Kyle. "Now, tell me where Wu is, or I could do something far worse to poor, little Diana."

Kyle was nearly in tears. "I swear I don't know!" He cried, truthfully. "Just don't hurt my sister!"

Fiona pushed the boy's chocolate brown hair from his eyes and said, "I'll give you twenty-four hours to probe your brain for answers. Otherwise . . ." Fiona trailed off, but stared maniacally at Diana.

She pushed Kyle backwards, making his limp body swing on the chains, then left the room, slamming the door loudly behind her. Kyle's eyes lingered on his poor sister. Diana's curly blonde hair seemed less vibrant than usual and her eyes were closed so he couldn't see her blue irises.

Kyle looked up at the ceiling. His head was bleeding and his right foot was definitely broken. Why did Fiona think he knew where Sensei Wu was? He and Di had been hiding for the last twelve years, how could they possibly know?! More importantly, how could they escape?


	4. Attacked

Marie-Grace, a currently very annoying sixteen year old, ignored the pleas of her best friend and roommate, Essly. "Please, Marie-Grace?" Essly begged. "I promise I won't take long!"

"No! Get it yourself!" Marie-Grace was in the middle of The Prisoner of Azkaban (rereading the series _again_) and didn't want to be bothered with such annoyances such as grocery shopping.

"You know that any other day I would, but this is different!" Essly had a valid point. It was different this time. There was a murderer on the loose.

Apparently, Fiona Harrison, formally Fiona Wu, had killed two of her _own children_, years back. Now she had escaped from Azkaban (JK, it was Ninjago Prison) and was prowling around. Nobody really knew where she was at the moment, but everyone was scared.

"Please, Marie-Grace? I need your amazing swordsmanship!" Essly pleaded. Marie-Grace glanced at her prized katana hanging on the wall. Sighing, she grabbed it and its sheath, and flung open her bedroom door to see the smiling face of Essly. "Thank you, Marie! You have no idea how much this means to me!"

"Don't worry, Es, I actually do," Marie-Grace muttered, putting her katana in its sheath. "Now let's get outta here."

* * *

Kai shook his head as he consulted the shopping list again. Why had Nya forced _him_ to get the groceries? He was a _ninja_, not her personal errand boy! Although he was the one who had asked for her to bake cookies . . .

He finally got the milk and eggs for Nya and was out of the store. As he walked down the unusually not crowded sidewalks of Ninjago City, he heard some cries coming from a nearby alleyway.

Poking his head in, he saw two girls, probably a year or two younger than him, being attacked by an older woman. He recognized the older woman as Fiona Harrison, the prison escapee. He didn't recognize the two girls, but that didn't matter! "NINJA GO!" Kai whipped into his ninja gi and ran towards them.

The lighter skinned girl was fending off Fiona with a seriously sweet katana, and was doing a great job, but Fiona did have the upper hand, with her powers and such. "Look out, Essly!" The lighter skinned girl pushed her caramel skinned friend away from the action.

The darker skinned girl, Essly apparently, bumped into Kai and gasped. Kai smiled at her, but remembered she couldn't see that with his mask on. Essly kinda hid behind him after her friend had gone hurtling into the wall.

Kai knew it was time to take action. He pulled out his sword of fire and swung it at Fiona. The older woman, obviously surprised by the interference, jumped back, then settled on glaring at him.

"Ah, one of the meddlesome ninja. Just what I needed," Fiona said, with clear annoyance in her voice. Despite being, like, fifty or something, she had incredible strength. Grabbing Kai's arm, she swung him upwards. Kai's back hit the fire escape above and with a groan, he fell on the closed dumpster below.

"Okay, now you're getting it . . ." Kai growled, and pounced onto Fiona. But she just pushed him off. Luckily, this time he just skidded backwards a bit. He grabbed his fallen sword and set it on fire. He thrust it towards Fiona. She moved ever so slightly, so his sword got stuck in the wall behind her!

Fiona smirked and punched Kai in the eye, then shoved him backwards. Kai had still been holding his sword hilt, so in the process of pushing him, Fiona had inadvertently dislodged the sword of fire from the wall.

Now Kai was really agitated. But by this time, the katana-wielding girl had gotten up. She now attacked Fiona, her sword slashed the older woman's shoulder. A deep cut was now residing in Fiona's right shoulder.

Fiona just looked at the girl as if she were a fly and gave her punch to the jaw. The girl stumbled backwards, blood trickling from her mouth.

Kai slammed his full body weight against Fiona, crushing her between him and the wall. She slid a blade out from her sleeve, and stabbed Kai in the side. The fire ninja stopped pressing her against the wall and yanked the knife from his side. The pain was probably the worst Kai had ever experienced, but other that shaking a bit, he stood his ground.

Fiona was panting from the fight, while Kai and the katana wielder were barely fazed, even though they had both been injured. Fiona knew this was not a fight she would win. She narrowed her eyes at Kai. She would come back . . .

Kai blinked. Fiona had disappeared. He knew it'd be pointless to chase after her because she could be anywhere in Ninjago by now. Instead, he focused on the two girls.

The bystander, Essly or something, had caramel coloured skin, wavy black hair and green eyes. She smiled sweetly at Kai, but seemed worried about Kai's injury.

The katana wielding girl, whose name so far escaped Kai, had light skin, short chocolate coloured brown hair and brown eyes. She was currently wiping blood from the corner of her mouth and looking concerned at Kai's wound.

"I'm fine," Kai snapped, to get them to stop staring at his side. "Who are you girls? Why did Fiona attack you?"

"My name's Essly Lison," Essly replied. "I don't know why Fiona attacked us! She just dragged me into the alleyway and-"

But Kai had stopped listening. The other girl had just removed her light sweater, revealing a scar on her left arm. Kai would recognize that scar anywhere. "Marie-Grace?"


	5. Siblings?

Marie-Grace pushed Kai against the wall. "How do you know my name?" She barked, holding her katana up threateningly. Then, while scanning his amber eyes for answers, she noticed a scar over his left eye. "Kai?" She asked, letting go of him.

"I thought you were dead!" Both yelled at once.

"Uh, am I missing something?" Essly asked, looking from one to the other. "I see two very much alive people."

They both started talking at the same time, then got angry at each other, crossed their arms and looked away. Essly rolled her eyes. "You're acting like a couple of babies! One at a time please. Marie, you first."

Marie-Grace smirked, pleased at being able to speak, as Kai folded his arms resentfully. "This is my older brother, Kai Flamey. After our parents and I left, and then they died on the journey, I waited for him and my older sister, Nya, to come get me. I sent them ten letters!" Marie-Grace glared over at Kai. "But noooooo, don't come save your little sister! I assumed they were dead too, and that's where you came in Es."

Essly nodded. "Right."

"Um, those 'ten letters' never reached us!" Kai snapped at his younger sister. "We assumed all three of you were dead and I ended up becoming a ninja. Also, Nya became a samurai and recently got engaged." He let out a long breath, apparently calming down. Then he grinned. "Marie-Grace, I just can't believe you're alive! You have to come back to the Destiny's Bounty with me! Nya's gonna freak!"

"Kai, you're still bleeding from the side. I think the hospital would be a better choice," Essly pointed out. "If you hadn't pulled out the knife, there might've been less blood loss-"

"Essly's right, Kai," Marie-Grace interrupted, knowing Essly might just go on and on. "Unless you have amazing doctors on the destiny's whatever, I think we should get you to the hospital."

"But we do! Misako and Zane and-" Kai grabbed his side from a sudden jolt of pain and nearly collapsed. "Okay, maybe the hospital would be a good idea," he sighed, as his younger sister and her best friend rushed to support him.

* * *

"Kai! What happened? Why are you in the hospital?" Nya rushed into his hospital room, with the other ninja close behind. She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Marie- Grace and Essly, who were talking to Kai at the moment. "Sorry, is this a bad time?" She asked, glancing from one girl to the other.

The girls turned to face Nya. The first thing Nya noticed was the scar on Marie-Grace's left arm. "Marie-Grace?" As Marie-Grace nodded, smiling slightly, Nya wrapped her younger sister in a hug. "I thought you were dead!"

"Yeah, well . . ." Marie-Grace proceeded to explain why they hadn't known she was alive and why she hadn't known they were alive. Finally, looking at all of the ninja, she asked, "Are you gonna introduce me to your friends?"

"Right! Everyone, this is Marie-Grace. My younger sister," Nya introduced. "Marie-Grace, this is Zane, Cole, Lloyd and my fiance, Jay." Nya smiled at Jay especially. Then she looked back at Marie-Grace. "I can't believe you're alive! Wait, backtracking a bit, why is Kai in the hospital?"

"Oh, he saved us!" Essly exclaimed.

"I was doing perfectly fine on my own!" Marie-Grace snapped. "For a psychopath, Fiona isn't the best fighter."

As she said this, everyone, other than Kai and Essly, stared at her. "Fiona? As in Fiona Harrison?" Jay asked, nervously. "The same Fiona who murdered two of her own children?!" After Marie-Grace nodded uncomfortably, Jay cried, "That's insane! Awesome, but insane!"

Nya gave her fiance a warning glare, and he explained, "I mean, anyone who can actually fight off a person of that power, leave with only a bit of blood in the corner of her mouth, and a far more injured _ninja_ . . ." Jay gazed at Marie-Grace with admiration. "You're freaking awesome!"

Marie-Grace frowned. "Well, it's kinda lucky Kai came along to district her for me, or I might've been dead." Then she smirked. "But I _am_ pretty freaking awesome, aren't I?"

Essly gave Marie-Grace a look that pretty much told her to stop bing so prideful. Marie-Grace just rebutted it by saying, "Don't you give me that look, Essly! You, of all people, have to admit that it was amazing!"

Essly sighed and said, "You're right. It was amazing. But I stand by my previous glare." Kai laughed at this statement and Essly grinned at him.

"Hey, you should come live with us!" Jay suggested suddenly. "I mean, we have tons of room, and you obviously kick butt, so maybe you could even fight villains with us!" Then at Lloyd's questioning look, Jay added, "Also, we'll be in-laws soon, so it'd be kinda cool to get to know you."

"I would also like to acquaint myself more with you," Zane added, smiling politely.

Marie-Grace looked like she was about to say no, when Lloyd pointed out, "Plus, you won't need to pay a rent! And there's great food and tons of video games and we rebuilt it larger, so you could even have your own room!"

"I won't go unless Essly can come! We've been together since we were eleven! Her parents basically took me in! We live in the same apartment!" Marie-Grace gave them all a look of stubbornness, so that they would all realize she was extremely serious.

"Well why don't you both come?" Cole asked, as if this were obvious. "We have a bunch of extra rooms."

Essly grinned broadly, and for the first time, Kai noticed the freckles dotting her nose and cheeks. "Come on, Marie! It'll be awesome! We'll be living on a_ flying ship _with the _ninja_!"

Marie-Grace reluctantly agreed. "We'll go to our apartment and get our stuff, then wait by Ninjago Park for you to pick us up."

"And I'll be out of here in a couple weeks," Kai groaned. "Have fun without me."


	6. All This is True, Because it Rhymes

***UPDATE: The prophecy is based on the LEGO Movie, which I do not own, or else all the Ninjago characters would've had major roles XD Thanks HailsStorm for reminding me about this minor disclaimer.**

"Oh yeah, and this is my Uncle Wu." Lloyd was giving Marie-Grace and Essly the grand tour, and had just taken them to see Sensei Wu. "He's also our Sensei. Good afternoon, Uncle!"

The elderly man looked up, greeting his nephew, then asked who the two girls were. "I'm Essly Lison and this is my best friend, Marie-Grace Flamey. She's Kai and Nya's long lost little sister!" Essly greeted, shaking the man's hand.

After Marie-Grace shook his hand as well, Sensei Wu took a good look at them. "Could it be?" He asked, then consulted a scroll which had been on the floor in front of him. He began to read it aloud,

"_Five Samurai to be found, one is already here. _

_After the Overlord is gone, the next two will be near._

_The first is the youngest Flamey, a girl who has a mysterious past._

_The next is her best friend, whose list of talents leave many aghast._

_Another will come, the youngest of the group, but who could possibly save your life._

_Then the final with a terrible past, who is very paranoid because her horrible strife._

_These five, including the first Flamey daughter, will put a stop to many, many crimes._

_And all this is true, because it rhymes._"

Marie-Grace blinked unbelievingly. "That was a great, inspiring legend," she said sarcastically, "_that you made up!_ Us? Samurai? What a bunch of hippy dippy baloney!"

Essly began giggling at Marie-Grace's comment, as Lloyd piped up, "Uncle Wu is pretty much never wrong, so you shouldn't brush this stuff off!"

"Marie-Grace, you have to admit, it describes us perfectly!" Essly pointed out. "I mean, you-"

"I still don't believe it!" Marie-Grace interrupted.

Sensei Wu nodded politely, looking like he understood. "You two can have some time to think. If you decide to go through with your destiny, I will have the ninja and Nya train you. If not, you can still stay but at least heed this warning:

_Make your choice, adventurous stranger;_

_Become a samurai and bide the danger,_

_Or wonder til it drives you mad,_

_What would've followed if you had._"

"And all this is true because it rhymes, yeah, yeah," Marie-Grace sighed. "Seriously? Pulling a Narnia on me? Come on, Essly." Marie-Grace practically dragged the darker skinned girl from the room. Lloyd shrugged at his uncle and followed the girls.

* * *

"I'm glad we can share a room," Essly commented as she spread sheets across the mattress on the top bunk.

"I am too," Marie-Grace mumbled, only half listening. She was snuggled up on an orange beanbag chair, back to reading the Prisoner of Azkaban.

As Essly now tucked matching purple blankets and pillows, she pondered what that Sensei Wu had said. The legend thingy really had described herself and Marie-Grace perfectly. Essly was extremely talented, if she did say so herself, and Marie-Grace . . . Well, she was Marie-Grace.

Essly sighed, glancing out the window. They were high in the air, the sun was setting and it was simply lovely. "I'm going onto the deck," Essly announced. Marie-Grace just 'mmhmm-ed' and Essly rolled her eyes.

The caramel skinned girl walked down the hallway and up onto the deck. She breathed in the fresh air and sighed happily. What she wouldn't give to be a samurai . . .

"Hello."

Essly spun around, hand over her chest. She had expected to see Fiona or some armed killer. Instead, she only found the nindroid with icy blue eyes, platinum blonde hair and pale skin. "Zane! You scared me!"

"My sincerest apologies, are you alright?" Zane asked, looking concerned. Essly nearly laughed at how concerned he was. She assured him that she was fine, but at his next question, she didn't feel at all fine. "Are you going to become a samurai?"

Essly sighed. That had been the topic all throughout dinner, and truth be told, she didn't really felt like answering. But she really couldn't refuse to tell the nindroid. "Weeeell . . . I'm not sure. I kinda want to, but I don't think Marie-Grace wants to." Essly paused. "Actually, I _know_ she doesn't want to."

"Does that stop you?" Zane's question had Essly at a loss for words. The nindroid patiently waited while Essly nervously tried to find what to say.

"Well, no, but we're best friends, and I just think that, well, I don't know," Essly mumbled. "It would just feel _wrong_ to do it without her."

"But if you're best friends, and correct me if I'm wrong, wouldn't she support any decision you make?" Zane asked. "Would she not support you and remove any guilt you might have?"

Essly thought about this for a second. For an emotionless robot, Zane sure knew more about the secrets to a teenage life than Essly did. Ahem, that emotionless robot thing was a joke, of course. "Y'know, Zane," Essly mused, "you are absolutely correct." Zane smiled at her as she began walking back to her room. "I'm going to talk to Marie-Grace."


	7. So Many Secrets

Essly burst into the room to find Marie-Grace still reading. "I'm going to become a samurai; like it or not!" She announced, smiling widely. When she got no response, she wrenched the book from Marie-Grace's hands (carefully of course, not wanting to rip the pages).

"Hey, what gives?!" Marie-Grace cried, grabbing at the book, which Essly held just out of her reach.

"I'm going to accept Sensei Wu's offer to become a samurai," Essly explained. "I really want to learn to defend myself like you can and, well, if that prophecy thing really is true, don't you think we should do something about it? Maybe you'll even learn to control your-"

"There is no cure," Marie-Grace snapped. "There is no way to control it. I just have to deal with it and you said I'm doing better, so just drop it."

Essly looked down at her feet. "I'm sorry, Marie." She felt truly horrible about mentioning it. She knew it was a very sensitive subject. "I'm just going to tell Sensei that I'm going to become a samurai . . ."

Marie-Grace sighed. She knew that Essly hadn't meant anything bad by that. "Is there nothing I can say to change your mind, Es?" When Essly shook her head defiantly, Marie-Grace grinned. "Well, I'd be a horrible bestie if I didn't support you. And the best way to support you would be to join you." Essly smiled widely as Marie-Grace stood up. "Let's go tell the others."

The two left the room laughing and smiling like best friends do. Cole walked by and smirked. "Wow, you're actually smiling. That must be a rare event."

"You just don't know me well enough then," Marie-Grace smirked back. "You're . . . Cole, right?"

"Cole Brookstone, at your service." Cole bowed low, causing Essly to laugh. But Marie-Grace had a look of fright on her face. Cole raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong, Ms. Flamey? Need your pillows fluffed?" He and Essly laughed again, but Marie-Grace was still staring at him as if he had suddenly sprouted another head.

Suddenly, her horror-stricken face contorted into one of rage. "Just get out of my way, _Brookstone_," Marie-Grace growled, putting emphasis on his last name. She shoved past and stormed off.

Essly grimaced. "Shoot, I forgot about that old thing. I never thought she would actually meet-" Essly cut herself off and looked up at Cole. "Uh, don't mind her, Cole."

Cole's thundercloud coloured eyes were filled with confusion and anger. "Why shouldn't I? That was suspicious behavior! And weird." Cole pushed back his raven coloured hair and then scanned Essly. "You know what that was about though. Tell me!"

Essly shook her head and for a moment, Cole's caramel coloured skin actually looked red with anger. "Fine, I'll ask Kai or Nya!" Essly was about to explain how they wouldn't know, but decided not to. It was easier to let him find out for himself.

Essly ran to catch up with Marie-Grace. "Are you okay, Marie-Grace? Wait, disregard that, that's a stupid question. Of course you're not okay. New question: can I do anything to help? Maybe tell Cole why you suddenly hate him so much?"

"No, he already knows, no matter how sincere he sounded," Marie-Grace muttered. "He's faking a stupid act. He _must_ know. Otherwise he really _is_ a-"

"But he looked genuinely confused. Even a bit angry!" Essly pressed.

"Well, he probably has to fake it if he wants to actually fulfill the plan. I mean, obviously Kai and Nya don't know or else they wouldn't have anything to do with him. So he probably thought I wouldn't know either, but when he found out I did, he had to fake it!"

"If Kai and Nya didn't know, then how can you be so sure Cole knows?"

"Oh, Brookstone definitely knows," Marie-Grace hissed. "He has to. Otherwise he has never picked up a history book in his life."


	8. Rude Awakenings

_Clang, clang, clang!_

"Evil doesn't sleep and neither should you!"

Marie-Grace's eyes opened in a flash. She rolled off the bottom bunk, grabbing her katana as she did, as jumped to her feet, pressing the blade of the katana against the intruder's neck. She pulled the sword away as she realized who the intruder was.

"Sensei Wu." She scowled and stomped back into bed. "Life Lesson #1: Never wake up Marie-Grace on a Saturday."

Sensei merely looked amused. "I am your Sensei. And every morning we do an exercise routine. You and Essly, having joined us as Samurai, must take part. You do not need to change, the boys often do not."

Marie-Grace groaned, pressing her pillow against her face. "Fine! But next time, just set the alarm," she sighed, once again rolling from her bed. "I'll wake up Essly." Sensei nodded and left the room.

Marie-Grace yawned, stretching her arms as far as she could, then climbed up on the first step of the ladder, so she could see Essly's sleeping figure. She poked the girl in the cheek. "Eeeeeesssssssssly! Wake uuuuuuuppp!" She moaned, wanting to get this morning over with.

"Whazhappenin?" Essly asked, sleepily. "Whazzamatter?" She lifted her head just enough to see the time. Then her head flopped back onto the pillow. "Wake me back up _after_ eight am. I really don't need to be awake at five thirty."

"Trust me, I would if I could. Apparently, it's mandatory for all ninja and samurai to do daily morning exercises," Marie-Grace said, poking her friend again so she wouldn't fall back asleep.

"Ew, exercise," Essly moaned into her pillow. She lay there silently for a minute as Marie-Grace continuously poked her. "Okay! I'm up!" Essly said finally, getting up into a sitting position.

The two girls walked sleepily out onto the deck, still in their pajamas. Marie-Grace wore pajamas that looked like she just threw some clothes together. It consisted of a baggy shirt that read, "Hakuna Matata," and fluffy pajama pants with teenage mutant ninja turtles on them. Essly, on the other hand, had matching shirt and shorts that looked like Supergirl's outfit. It even had a Velcro-on cape.

The boys were all in pajamas too, but theirs were all striped with their gi colours. So boring. Although Nya's red nightgown was cute. They stood in a line, but Marie-Grace stood as far from Cole as she could.

"We shall begin today with the pinching crab," Sensei announced, and everyone mimicked his pose. This went on for awhile.

Essly noticed Jay kept glancing at Nya. "Perv," she muttered under her breath.

* * *

Essly stretched as she waited for Cole to finished making breakfast. She was still tired, even after all that early morning exercise. Marie-Grace was currently talking with Nya about, well, everything. She would've been talking to Kai too, if he hadn't still been in the hospital.

"I like your pajamas, Essly," Lloyd told her, also looking slightly tired.

"I hope you're not being perverted," Essly replied, calmly.

Lloyd scrunched up his nose. "Ew, no! I might look the same age as you, but I'm really only ten. I don't have a sick mind, I swear!"

Essly sighed in relief and surprise. "Thanks, Lloyd. So your body accelerated by six years?"

The two talked about the boy's experience with Tomorrow's Tea, which Essly found highly interesting, and then about superheroes, a topic in which both knew an excelling amount about.

But then Cole came out with the food. "What. The. Heck. Is. That?!" Marie-Grace asked, looking at the blobs that Cole had scooped onto each person's plate.

"Pancakes!" Cole replied, cheerfully.

Marie-Grace slumped back in her seat. "I told you that Brookstone was evil," the girl mumbled to her best friend. "He's trying to poison us!"

"Hey!" Cole hissed. "I heard that! And no, I'm not trying to poison anyone!"

"No offense, Cole," Jay muttered, "but I think these shapeless, gooey lumps would definitely poison us, intended to or not." Cole grumbled and sat down reluctantly when Nya volunteered to get the cereal out.

Marie-Grace just stared daggers at Cole throughout breakfast. Essly pretended nothing unusual was happening and continued talking to Lloyd about various superheroes. But no one could pretend they didn't notice how Marie-Grace seemed to resent the earth ninja for no reason at all.

***Haha, when Essly's up too early in the morning, she's kinda blunt XD calling everyone a pervert . . .**


	9. Freedom and Fish

"Ahem."

Jay and Nya broke apart quickly, looking up at Marie-Grace, whose hands were on her hips. The young couple immediately blushed and Nya muttered, "Right, right; _my_ turn to train you guys."

"Nya, I don't mind you snogging your fiance, just please remember your other commitments," Marie-Grace grumbled, as the sisters walked along the hallway towards to deck.

"Snogging?" Nya laughed. "What are you, British now?"

"Too much Harry Potter," Marie-Grace grinned slyly. "Actually, no. There is _no_ such thing as 'too much' Harry Potter." The two Flamey girls laughed together. Essly gave them a questioning look as they joined her on the deck.

Nya cleared her throat and introduced the training system. "Alright, we're going to start with the basics in self defense," Nya told the girls. "When Kai gets out of the hospital, he'll teach you more types of flips and kicks and whathaveyou. Jay will teach you Spinjitzu, being the first who learned it. Cole will help you with your physical education and if you're lucky, he might have time to show you how to fly Ultra Dragon. Zane will show you how to work the tech here, in case you're left alone and need to reach us or something. Then Lloyd will give you weapons training. You each get a specific weapon just for you."

"Cool! I can't wait!" Essly exclaimed. "I wish I could tell my other friends. Ooh, or my parents~!" There was a split second of pain on her face, but just enough so that Marie-Grace and Nya noticed.

Marie-Grace looked ashamed as she whispered, "I'm sorry . . ."

Essly grinned as if nothing happened. "Don't be silly, Marie! It wasn't your fault!"

Nya looked quizzically at the two, but didn't question it. She could tell, despite her smile, that it was a painful subject for Essly. Whatever 'it' was.

* * *

Kyle swung on the long chains the hung him from the ceiling. The chains were connected to the ceiling by hooks and if he swung enough, they'd fly off the hooks! Hopefully.

"YES!" Kyle cried as the chains flew off the hooks. Unfortunately, that meant he flew off too. After he slammed into the grimy stone wall, surely breaking his nose, he turned to Diana. Now to get his little sister down . . .

Kyle jumped up, high enough to yank Diana's chains from the hooks that supported them, then he landed, catching Diana's limp body in his arms. "Perfect," he grinned, slinging Diana's arm around his shoulder.

The eighteen year old boy heaved open the heavy dungeon door. He inhaled a large breath of the musty air through his nose. "Smell that, Di?" He asked his unconscious sister. "That's the smell of freedom!" He scrunched up his nose and took another sniff. "And fish."

The boy's eyes lit up. "If there's fish, there must be water. And if there's water, there's a way out!"

Kyle ran along the dark stone corridors, following the disgusting, but strong, smell of fish. Soon, he stopped, panting at a fork in the passageways. "Now who left out this perfectly good fork?" Then he sighed. "It's no fun without Diana to laugh at my terrible jokes."

"You're right," came a sneering voice from behind him, "those are terrible jokes."

Kyle felt Fiona grab his shoulders. He felt all his energy and strength get sapped from his body. He crumpled to the ground beside his thirteen year old sister, almost at the point of losing his consciousness. He groaned, but could barely move.

Diana, on the other hand, began to stir. She opened her tired eyes to see the familiar face of Fiona Harrison glaring at her. She sighed loudly. "Hi Mom."

***Haha, the chapter title kinda doesn't make sense, but I couldn't think of anything else. I took the "smell of freedom" thing from Home Alone 2. Have you guessed what Fiona's powers are? Who did I base them on? Are you happy to see our two little captive kids again? What do you think Essly and Marie-Grace's little secret is? WHEN WILL I STOP ASKING QUESTIONS?! Also: SUSPENSE! **


	10. Evil Mother, French Elves and Cold Water

"Yes, _dear_, it's me," Fiona sneered. "Would you mind holding still for a moment, while I sap you of your powers again?"

Diana immediately rolled closer to her older brother, regaining her energy by the second. "Not a chance, _Mother dearest_."

Then Kyle yelled, "Diana! Now!" And the two teens were gone in the blink of an eye.

Fiona frowned. She would probably never find them again. Diana was hard to trace. Frankly, it was lucky she found them before. Oh well. This just meant she would need to work a little harder to complete her master plan . . .

* * *

Essly and Marie-Grace circled each other, both looking for a moment to attack. Essly saw her best friend flinch and took this moment to her advantage. She sped forwards, and as Marie-Grace swung a punch, she dodged under the incoming fist. Unfortunately, she forgot about Marie-Grace's quick reflexes and was tripped by the brunette's foot.

Marie-Grace grinned and extended a hand to help up her freckle faced friend. "You're doing better, Es. Not all villains will be quick as _moi_." She puffed out her chest dramatically.

Essly laughed as Marie-Grace, with one tug on her arm, heaved her to her feet. "Parlez-vous Français?"

"Oui! Et toi?" Marie-Grace asked, continuing their French conversation.

"Je fais aussi. Buddy l'elfe, quelle est votre couleur préférée?!"

"Um, what?"

Marie-Grace and Essly began laughing at Nya's confusion. "French Class 2011!" Marie-Grace laughed. Essly nearly fell over she was giggling so much!

Marie-Grace finally stopped laughing enough to explain the tediously useless information to her older sister. "When we were eleven, the French teacher let us watch Elf in French to celebrate Christmas. Worst idea ever. Essly and I were quoting Elf _en Français_ for weeks! It also inspired us to continue French in high school." Marie-Grace giggled. "And that, dear sister, is your useless information for the day! Come back tomorrow for more!"

The sixteen year olds were having an immense laughing fit, so Nya decided that was enough training on her part. She mentally wished Jay good luck. He would need it.

* * *

"So how come we get to learn spinjitzu? I thought only ninjas knew it!" Marie-Grace asked, looking at her soon-to-be brother-in-law.

"Well, Sensei Wu, Misako, Garmadon can do it and Nya recently learned it, so I don't see why you two couldn't," Jay replied, smiling. "But it's not easy. First, you have to master this training course!" Jay ushered to the deck.

The girls stared where he gestured blankly. "Um, what training course?" Essly asked.

Jay glanced over. "Oh! Oops, hehe, forgot to actually pull it up!" Jay pressed a button and out of the floor came a full training course on the deck! Jay once again ushered to the deck, this time saying, "Tada!"

"Whoa," both girls gasped in unison. There were swords to dodge, spring loaded wooden posts to hop over, and dummies to attack. It was perfect.

"How come there are random dolls hanging around this thing?" Essly asked, examining one of the dummies.

"Those aren't dolls, they're dummies," Jay corrected.

Essly frowned at him. "Hey! That's not very nice!"

"Es, he's not talking about you," Marie-Grace sighed.

Essly blushed. "I knew that . . ."

Jay cleared his throat and continued to explain, "They're called dummies because they're imitations of the actual object, in this case, a human being. Anyways!" He clapped his hands together, indicating they were going to get down to business. "You start here, and go through. Then we keep practicing until you can do it incredibly fast. Then we're going to time you in a sort of way, I guess."

"And how will this be helping us learn spinjitzu?" Marie-Grace asked, examining the course. "I mean, it's cool and all, but you're not exactly teaching us what you were assigned to."

"All will be explained in due time," Jay said, smirking. He knew that Marie-Grace would just be furious if he didn't tell her.

"No fair!" Marie-Grace growled, crossing her arms angrily.

Jay just smirked at her. "Now, who wants to go first?"

* * *

Essly flopped onto her bed after a strenuous day of training. To make matters worse, Marie-Grace was still angry about the fact that Jay wouldn't reveal the secret to spinjitzu. It didn't matter that her older brother had come back from the hospital. No, Marie-Grace just wanted to know how to do spinjitzu.

"I'm going to take a shower!" Marie-Grace announced, in a tone that said if anyone suggested otherwise, they would be meeting her fists. She stomped into their bathroom and soon Essly heard the water start.

But about ten minutes later, there was an angry shriek from their bathroom. Marie-Grace stomped out, a towel wrapped around her slim figure and another towel around her hair. Her face read pure rage.

She was about to stomp out of the room too, when Essly stopped her by saying sensibly, "Marie . . . You're not wearing any clothes . . . And the residents on this ship are mainly boys . . ."

Marie-Grace flashed her friend a furious fake smile. "Well, next time, they'll think before turning off the hot water." Then she left the room, making sure her towel was covering herself fully.

Essly waited patiently. Finally she heard the unmistakable sound of surprised and embarrassed boy yells. Then came Marie-Grace's screaming voice. "WHO TURNED OFF THE HOT WATER?!"

"N-not me!" Cole cried, obviously embarrassed. Essly could just imagine the red tint on his caramel coloured cheeks.

"I did not," Zane replied, the only one who seemed unfazed. Essly couldn't help but wonder about him sometimes.

"It, uh, mighta been me," came Kai's embarrassed voice. Poor guy. Just out of the hospital and it sounds like he's just going to go back again.

"FIX IT!" Marie-Grace yelled, positively raging. Essly could only imagine the fire in her eyes.

Welp, it seemed like that bit of drama was over, so Essly grabbed The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and began to read.

***BWAHAHAHA! I loved writing this chapter! Ah, memories! And you've probably gathered this, but Essly and Marie-Grace are avid readers :) Also, this chapter was going to be called _A Purely Evil Mother, French Elves and Cold Water_, but there wasn't enough space, so it's just an evil mother.**


	11. Snap Out of It!

***DISCLAIMER TIME! (*readers* woohoo I love disclaimer time!) Okay, I do not own the song More Then Just the Spare. Even if it _was_ cut out of the movie, it still belongs to Disney. (I totally suggest listening to some of the outtakes from Frozen, I really liked some of the songs!) **

**Also, Kai does say 'damn' and 'dammit' in this chapter. I'm not sure if you guys consider those swear words, but I thought I should give a heads up, just in case. ****U****mmm, all I own are my OCs and the plot, sooo, you can read now :)**

Essly woke up early. Too early. It wasn't even time for their morning exercises yet!

Yawning, she climbed down to the floor. Glancing at her friend, who was still soundly asleep, Essly decided not to wake her. The Indian originated girl pulled on her casual clothes. It consisted of capris, sandals and a t-shirt that read, "I was whelmed until I got traught and crashed the mode. Now I'm feeling the aster and you can be as chalant as you like with me because I'm turbed. Noted. I'm in renial. It's a YJ thing."

Essly paused at the door, then grabbed her iPod before leaving the room. Putting on her Mickey Mouse headphones and putting her iPod on shuffle, she waited for the first song to play. Essly grinned to herself as More Than Just the Spare started to play. One of her favourite songs from the list of Frozen outtakes.

"_I'm not part of the town, not born to be queen_

_Just somebody hopelessly in-between_

_She's the scholar, athlete, poet_

_I'm the screw up, don't I know it_

_But then who could ever compare?_

_Of course they're gonna think I'm just the spare_

_Well I won't care_

_So I'm the extra button on a coat_

_In case another one comes loose_

_But if I have to be a button_

_Why can't I be a button that's of use? _(oops!)

_I may lack style and I may lack grace_

_And once in a while I might fall on my face_

_But this little button deserves a place in the sky_

_This button wants to fly-!_

Wait, buttons can't fly, it doesn't make any sense!

_So I'm a rusty horseshoe hanging up_

_Over somebody's old barn door_

_And I'll be hanging there forever_

_Just wishing the horse had one leg more_

_And maybe I can't be the perfect one_

_And maybe I err on the side of fun_

_But horseshoes need a chance to run somewhere_

_This horseshoe is more than just a spare_

_Someday I'll find my thing_

_A thing that's all my own_

_That thing that makes me part of something_

_Not just all alone_

_If only all this feeling I have in my heart_

_Could mean something to someone, how I'd love to play that part_

_So I'm just the second born sister_

_Who most of the town ignores_

_Like a button, like a horseshoe_

_Like a girl who's bad at metaphors_

_Maybe I don't have a magic touch_

_And maybe I don't have a talent as such_

_Just this heart with much too much to share_

_So I'll never be the heir, but I'm more than just a spare _(Sorry!)"

Essly laughed as the song finished. She absolutely _loved_ singing! Whenever she entered the Ninjago Talent Show, she gave those Royal Blacksmiths a run for their money! Mostly because she didn't _just_ sing.

She could do a variety of dances, she could tightrope walk, juggle, do flips and trick on the trapeze and so much more! Her parents were always astonished at her abilities, with her father saying that all this talent _must_ have come from her mother, though her mother always said the opposite.

"That was amazing!"

Essly spun around. Kai was standing there in his pajamas, looking impressed. "But you do know it's four forty-five in the morning, right?"

"Sorry! Sorry sorry sorry!" Essly cried. "I didn't mean to wake you up!"

Kai laughed. "It's fine. I was already awake. Seriously though, you're an amazing singer!"

Essly blushed. "Thank you." _Wow, Kai's so nice! And not to mention handsome with those . . . fiery amber eyes and that spiky brown hair . . . _Essly's own green eyes suddenly widened. _No, no, no! I can't think about Kai like this! He's Marie-Grace's brother! Snap out of it, Essly!_

"Are . . . you alright?" Kai asked, looking at Essly's nervous face.

"Fine! Just fine . . ." Essly replied, forcing a smile on her face.

Kai hated to admit it, but Essly was pretty cute. _With her caramel skin . . . Wavy black hair . . . Sparkling green eyes . . . And damn, those freckles . . . _Kai shook off all of those thoughts. _I can't like Essly! She's Marie-Grace's best friend! Even if she is beautiful and talented and the sweetest girl alive . . . Dammit, Kai! Snap out of it!_

Neither knew that the other was thinking the same thoughts. They just both knew that they would not be confessing their feelings anytime soon.


	12. Drill Sergeant

***Okay, important-ish thingy: The Teachers stopped striking! (So, where I live, the teachers were striking and school hasn't started yet) But now, school is starting again, this Monday! I'm just saying this because this means I'll have less and less time to post stuff, soooo . . . Don't expect something every week, okay? Thanks for listening, continue with your reading :)**

"Alright, you two have to get in peak physical condition if you want to be samurai," Cole said, pacing in front of the girls. "So if I tell you to drop and give me twenty, what do you do?"

"Do twenty pushups?" Essly suggested.

"NO! Er, I mean, YES!" Cole yelled.

"Okay, _drill sergeant_," Marie-Grace hissed, "but I'm already _in_ 'peak physics condition,' as you put it."

"It's true," Essly piped up. "Every day she has a morning jog, then does exercises, then-"

"_Fine then_. Looks like it's just you and me, Essly," Cole huffed, turning his back on Marie-Grace. Essly didn't move, she just stood by her friend, looking nervously from one to the other.

"That's not how we do things, Marie-Grace."

Marie-Grace barely flinched when the elderly man walked up behind her. She had a straight face and Cole couldn't tell what the girl was feeling.

"You will train with Cole, whether you like it or not," Sensei Wu told her, looking calm, but clenching his walking stick threateningly, ready to strike or block if needed.

"_Fine_," she growled, glaring at the caramel skinned boy with pure rage. "I'll train with Brookstone. But under protest!"

Sensei Wu almost looked amused. "I'll keep that in mind." He walked away calmly.

"Now," Cole said exasperatedly, "we are going to start with a plank . . ."

* * *

". . . And this is the bridge," Zane lead Essly and Marie-Grace into the main control room. It had a wall-to-ceiling computer screen, a holographic projector, just about thousand buttons, lever and switches, a table that was evidently for mission debriefing or hanging out and finally, a cappuccino machine.

"Why is it called the bridge?" Essly asked.

"I believe the control or command center of _any_ power vessel is known as the bridge. Allow me to check my database . . ." The green eyed girl waited patiently as the nindroid checked a compartment in his wrist. He finally stated, "The term arose in the mid-19th century, when the 'bridge' was athwartships structure very much like a footbridge stretched across the vessel between or immediately in front of the paddle wheels."

Essly nodded and pretended she understood. Marie-Grace rolled her eyes and whispered a simpler explanation in her friend's ear. Essly made an expression of sudden comprehension.

"Now," Zane began to continue with his tech lesson, "this button will power up the rocket boosters, enabling the ship to fly. This is the steering wheel, used to direct the vessel . . ." Marie-Grace made an 'oh, ya don't say?' face at this point. "This switch will turn on the computer. This button will go directly to me and this button will go directly to Nya . . ."

The two sixteen year olds sighed quietly. It seemed like this would be the boring class.

* * *

Marie-Grace was exceptionally bored.

She had read and reread all of her books and didn't have time to buy any new ones.

The boys didn't have any fun video games and she _still _didn't have time to buy any new ones.

Zane's class had been, as predicted, very boring and slightly useless.

And finally, their weapons class didn't start until after dinner, in about an hour.

Marie-Grace just lay on her bed, staring at the bunk above. She decided to reminisce about her past. Because hey, no one could hear her thoughts. It was her only _real_ safe haven.

What if the boys found out about her . . . 'Condition'? Obviously her siblings hadn't told them, hopefully because of regard towards her privacy, and she was thankful for that. If they knew, it would lead to tons of awkward questions and fear.

The fear factor was one of the worst parts about it. The way it frightened the bravest of people gave Marie-Grace a sense of guilt, though she knew it wasn't technically her fault. But another horrible thing was the way it harmed people. She shuddered, hoping it wouldn't happen again anytime soon.

But just to be sure . . . "Hey, Es? When's the next you-know-what?"

"Not for a couple weeks, I don't think," Essly replied.

"Thanks, Essly."

"No problemo."

Marie-Grace returned to her thoughts. Well, she didn't need to worry for a couple weeks at least. Thank goodness. Just imagine if it had been tonight . . .

She then thought about Cole Brookstone. He was the most despicable human being she had ever met. He didn't even admit to knowing about his family line or hers, which was the worst lie Marie-Grace had ever heard. That old story was in practically _all_ the history books! There might be a select few without, but it was strange nowadays to not come across the story.

Technically, him not telling her about knowing was a lie of omission! But then again, that meant she was technically lying by omission too . . . But it made her feel better to think he was.


End file.
